Young Francophones Overwhelmingly Reject Masculinism, Survey Finds
Three-quarters of young French-speaking Belgians have heard of masculinism, but two-thirds reject the ideology as contrary to their values, according to a major new survey by the Forum des Jeunes (Youth Forum) of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. The consultation, which gathered responses from 2,021 young people aged 16 to 30 in Wallonia and Brussels between October 2025 and January 2026, collected over 3,000 raw testimonies — an unprecedented volume that underscores both interest and concern about this issue among youth. The results have been submitted to parliamentarians for debate.
High Awareness, Low Understanding
The survey found that while 75% of respondents have encountered the term “masculinism,” definitions vary widely and are often unclear. Louise Lebichot, Secretary General of the Forum des Jeunes, told RTBF that “when you scratch a little and ask them what they concretely understand by this term, you get a rainbow of definitions and understandings that are very different.” Some young people mistakenly equate masculinism with feminism, a conflation Lebichot described as “quite startling” and in need of deconstruction.
Masculinism is a virilist movement that considers feminism — which advocates for gender equality — has gone too far and that men are “superior” to women. It presents itself as a mirror of feminism but operates from a logic of domination rather than equality.
Strong Rejection but a Concerning Gray Zone
Two-thirds of respondents (approximately 66.7%) say masculinism is contrary to their values, makes them angry, or frightens them. However, only a small minority fully embrace the ideology: 1.2% say they fully agree with masculinist ideas, and 1.4% appreciate the visions and advice of masculinist content creators — totaling 2.6% who follow masculinist influencers.
Lebichot noted that “what’s really interesting is that we have more young people who are in a gray zone, who tell us that they find certain discourses interesting, but these discourses sometimes go too far.” This ambiguity, she warned, represents a vulnerability that can be exploited by algorithmic content recommendation systems.
Social Media as the Primary Vector
The survey reveals that 64.5% of young people encounter masculinist content on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube — often involuntarily. Awareness of prominent masculinist influencers is high: 54% of respondents know Alex Hitchens, and 42% know “La Menace.” Among boys, these figures rise to 70% and 61.5%, respectively.
A previous RTBF investigation in September 2025 demonstrated how quickly TikTok’s algorithm can lead young users down a “rabbit hole” of increasingly radical content. Using a custom AI program to simulate a 15-year-old boy interested in bodybuilding, researchers found that masculinist content appeared within just 40 minutes of scrolling.
“What we notice is that young people don’t specifically seek out this content in their practices, but in fact, they are confronted with it insidiously,” Lebichot explained. “At first glance, you don’t always realize the problematic side. It talks about sports, it talks about cars, it talks about how to make money. But all of this creates a narrative that ultimately aims at male domination over women.”
A Security Dimension
The Forum des Jeunes has also highlighted the security implications of extreme masculinist ideologies. Belgium’s Coordination Unit for Threat Analysis (OCAM) has opened approximately ten files in 2025 related to nihilist extremism, which includes the ‘incel’ ideology — a masculinist movement composed of involuntary celibate men who blame women for their relationship status. As La Libre reported, OCAM Director Gert Vercauteren described nihilist extremists as aiming “to destroy society to create a more anarchic one where the strongest wins.”
Lebichot emphasized that “in its most extreme forms, masculinism can also become a security issue.”
Calls for Action
The Forum des Jeunes is calling for three key measures: strengthened awareness-raising in schools and youth spaces, holding digital platforms accountable and regulating their algorithms, and concrete political action recognizing the danger of masculinism for young people and democracy.
“That platforms be held responsible,” Lebichot urged. “How do we regulate social networks? Because we can do as much awareness-raising and education as we want, as long as we don’t tackle the problem at the source, this content will continue to exist.”
The consultation was commissioned by the Commission Jeunesse of the Parliament of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles. The results are now on the desks of parliamentarians, who will debate the findings and consider potential policy responses. The Forum des Jeunes will host an online presentation of the survey results on June 10, 2026.
Philosopher Geneviève Fraisse, emeritus research director at CNRS in France, has argued that the term “masculinism” is improper and depoliticizes feminism, warning that presenting masculinism as a mirror of feminism obscures the fundamental difference between a movement for equality and one rooted in domination.
As Belgian policymakers weigh their next steps, the survey makes one thing clear: young people are aware of masculinism, largely reject it, but remain vulnerable to its spread through the algorithmic channels that shape their digital lives.